Atlanta Housing (AH) announced that despite the recent partial government shutdown and temporary reopening through February 15,  AH will continue providing housing assistance for the more than 24,000 Atlanta households that count on it for rent support. In addition to funds allocated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), AH has access to funds that will allow it to operate at least through the end of its fiscal year, June 30, 2019.

Background
On December 28, 2018, HUD allocated funds for January and February 2019 Housing Choice subsidies for Atlanta Housing's housing voucher program. HUD also allocated public housing operating funds to AH for its senior housing and subsidized housing in mixed-income communities for January and February.

Brandon Riddick-Seals, interim president and CEO of the agency, said, "We want everyone to know -- our residents, property owners and service providers, in particular – that beyond the HUD subsidies, Atlanta Housing has funding to keep us operating at least through the end of June 2019, which is the end of our fiscal year."

Impact and Assurance
In addition to Atlanta Housing, housing subsidy is provided by other public housing agencies in the metro Atlanta area, including HUD. There are two housing programs, Section 202 and Section 811 (referred to as 202/811 program housing), that HUD manages directly with private management companies. Neither of these housing programs is affiliated with or administered by Atlanta Housing.

"We want to assure our participants, landlords and partners that housing subsidies will be paid without interruption," said Dr. Christopher Edwards, chairman of the AH Board of Commissioners. "Our families, employees and partners can rest assured that AH is financially sound." 

AH also offers human development services through a network of service providers and those services will also continue.